Respectfully dedicated
to those men & women who have served in our nations armed
forces!With a special dedication to my late
father T-5 James R. Lucas U.A.A.F.

This site has been established to
promote a portion of W.W.II aviation history in the form of aircraft
nose art. In addition other pages will be added to display W.W.II
aircraft, racing aircraft, and the unique. Please visit often
to keep abreast of the changes. I
would also like to add a special note of thanks to Lt. Col. Craig
Rainey who's help was invaluable in getting this web site up and
running! "THANKS CRAIG"

The sultry, wonderful world of warrant
is as varied as the individuals who dressed up and decorated the
aircraft and the feelings of the men who flew them into combat.
Though this variety is staggering, common themes run through them
all from World War II to the end of the Korean War when the genre
all but left the scene.

Humor, pathos, slogans, girls, cartoons,
nicknames, hometowns, girls, patriotism, dishing it to the enemy,
warriors, girls, youthful bravado, girls...these transcended nationality
as both Allies and Axis pilots went to war in their individually
marked chariots. Men at war separated from home, family, loved
ones and a familiar way of life sought ways to personalize and
escape the very harsh business surrounding them. For the most
part they thought about women, represented on the sides of aircraft
in the most tender of ways to the most degrading. These men spent
many hours longing for the tenderness a woman could bring to their
lives...and for the sexual pleasure they could provide. Whether
top level commanders ordered it off the aircraft or not, the men
let their feelings flow onto their machines.

As their aircraft reflected, fighter
pilots of both wars were busy strafing, bombing, hunting for aerial
kills and protecting friendly aircraft, airfields, supply lines
and troops. But the ground crews were just as busy trying to make
sure the aircraft they had generously loaned to the pilot was
on the line each day and ready to bring him home. There is never
enough credit to be given to these men who worked ten hours for
every hour the pilot flew.

The fame and glory attached to the
pilot over shadowed his faithful ground ponders, but this usually
did not prevent the enlisted men and officers from becoming devoted
friends. Each needed the other to make the mission successful,
and a pilot's crew would experience as much pride for a victory,
knowing they were behind the guns as well. As a result, nose art
was often the choice of the ground crew rather than the pilot.
Some units made room for both by having the pilot's art on the
left side and the ground crew's on the right. Unique among fighters,
the P-38 Lightning had three noses to adorn, allowing a separate
canvas for the pilot, crew chief, armorer and radio man.

("War Paint", by John
M. Campbell & Donna Campbell, pages 9-10)

If you have any original Nose Art photos you'd
like to see on this site please contact Luc